The board of National Aluminium Company (Nalco) has approved a significant capacity expansion plan to set up a one million tonne alumina refinery at Damanjodi, Koraput, Odisha at a proposed investment of Rs 5,540 crore. Nalco already has a captive bauxite deposit at Pottangi in the state, which will be utilized in this project. This is the first major expansion in the state run aluminium company in step with the Modi government's Make in India campaign.

With a view to boost the ancillary and downstream industries, Nalco is also committed to supply 50,000 tonne of aluminium metal to 'Angul Aluminium Park' which has been formed as a joint venture between Nalco and Industrial Development Corporation of Odisha. Apart from investing in its mainstay metals business, the company is also stepping up its fledgling presence in the renewable energy sector. In a statement on Monday, the company said is "in an advance stage of setting up of 100 MW wind power plant at a suitable location with an estimated investment of Rs 660 crore."

The aluminium major reported a more than two fold rise in net profit to Rs 354.87 crore in Q4 FY15, due to an exceptional gain. Against this the company had posted a net profit of Rs 172.45 crore in the previous corresponding period. Total income, however, declined by 2% to Rs 1,801.25 crore in January-March quarter of 2014-15 from Rs 1,838.20 crore in the same period of 2013-14.

For fiscal FY15, Nalco's net profit went up to Rs 1,322 crore in FY15 against Rs 642 crore in same period of FY14. During the year, the company achieved its highest ever gross turnover of Rs 7,771 crore, a 10.6% rise against Rs 7,024 crore achieved in 2013-14.

The company's export turnover for the fiscal 2014-15 was Rs 3,307 crore. The company's board which met in New Delhi last Saturday (May 30), recommended final dividend at a rate of 10% (Re. 0.50 per equity share of Rs 5 each) amounting to Rs 128.86 crore. Earlier, Nalco had declared an interim dividend of 25%, (Rs 1.25 per share of Rs 5 each), amounting to Rs 322.16 crore for the financial year 2014-15, on the paid-up equity share capital of Rs 1288.62 crore.